Happy Birthday Arthur! 2 Years Old

Arthur turned two on May 2nd. His new big thing is Mickey Mouse or "Muh Muh" as he calls him. It's adorable and I wanted to do something small along that theme.

I found a silicone Mickey Mouse cake pan at the Christmas Tree Shop and while I have no experience with that fancy decorating, I just frosted it plain and it looked just fine. I found an organic, trans-fat free cake at Whole Foods and made a buttercream frosting from a recipe a friend online sent me. I knew it was a hit when one of Janet's girls said "This is actually good, Mom".

Arthur got lots of sand toys for his birthday and some other cute outdoor things as well. He was outfitted for the entire summer by my aunts and my parents and we had taken him to build-a-bear a few days earlier. I sent him to school with special nut-free but healthy cookies and he had a good day.

32 Week Appointment/Hypnobirthing Class

We left at about 2PM to make the drive to the North Shore for my appointment. We had about a half hour to stop at my parent's house and pick up my mom. It gave me a chance to use the restroom, of course, and show her my son's 2-year DVD that we made.

The appointment went well....it was fast. While she had me all worried about my "normal" reading last week of 120/80, it was a nice 124/72 today (which made her and I both happy). I was afraid that my fear of it "jumping" would actually cause it to do so. While I waited for my appointment, my mom did some Reiki on me and that eased me right down. I was still apprehensive when she took the reading but I just focused on breathing and it all worked out.

I'm measuring right where I should, 32 weeks and my weight is up .5 lbs since two weeks ago, bringing my total to a modest 13lbs. I'm certainly eating like a cow...but I'm glad that I'm not ballooning up. I don't want any blood pressure concerns and I'd really like to not have a huge baby growing in there. I'm visualizing a comfortable 6 1/2 - 7 1/2 lbs. That's where I'd like to be so that's what I'm picturing for the baby.

The hypnobirthing class was very nice again. It's such a mix of parents in the room! Some, I do question how they ended up in this class but I give them kudos for trying. We have one who has never seen a birth video and was going "oh!", "Are they really blue like that?" and was kind of clutching her mouth when we watched them (and these were CALM hypnobirth videos). Then we've got the other mom who comes in with her latte and hasn't yet been able to experience any of the visualizations. I really do give her a lot of credit for being there though because it must be harder for her. Only two of us are going to the birth center and the rest have chosen hospital births.

There's another mom who like me, wanted a homebirth, but also had a spouse who wasn't 100% on the same page so we've chosen the birth center as a compromise. The mom next to me is fun to sit next too. Like me, she has no qualms about making herself comfortable on the beanbags on the floor and she's a snacker. I like her and can relate.

Then it was back to my parent's house to rescue my dad from babysitting. My grandmother and cousin happened to stop by and were there when we arrived. So my son was awake 2 hours past his normal bedtime and we had to leave at 9:15 because we had a nearly two hour drive. I felt bad leaving but we really couldn't stick around.

I'm off to bed soon after my son's cake has cooled a little (he turns two tomorrow). And we're both working in the morning so sleep is looking really good!

Building a Birthday Bear

A few days before Arthur's birthday we took him to build-a-bear for a very special treat! He loved his bear and still sleeps with it months later! He was also very content to play with the box...

Someone Have a Baby I Can Borrow?

Joanne got me a "Hotsling" for Mother's Day but since I accidentally discovered her purchase when we were using the computer together, she's letting me try it out now for size. It's really nice fabric and I think it's a good investment but I'm a little nervous about the size.

The website gave me two options to choose from and said "go with the larger" when given a choice. Great...except that the website gives a completely different size range than the book does...ugh!

What I really need is a baby to borrow so I can test it out for comfort and size! I tried with Arthur who is a wriggly 25lbs but at a week shy of two-years-old, he just wasn't cooperating.

I think I'll bring it to my next appointment with the midwives. Joanne let me know that they have a realistic weight/sized test baby in the office and I'll see what I can do with that.

30 Weeks Pre-Natal Appointment

I had my appointment today with the birth center and for some reason she got me kind of worried about my blood pressure, which was a normal 120/80. She doesn't want to see it go higher than this. I understand that 120/80 is kind of the limit of the normal range, but now I'm afraid that it's obscenely high or something and my concern about it will make it spike higher next time.

Thank goodness my hypnobirthing classes start next week. I'm comforted by the fact that theres likely some breathing or relaxation exercises I can do to prevent this from happening.

Everthing is still going well. The baby is very active and changes positions more than I can keep up. Since three weeks ago, I've gained 2.5 lbs which brings my total gain to 12.5 lbs. (I think the modest gain will also help keep my blood pressure down in this normal range).

We discussed breastfeeding (yes), circumcision (no), childbirth classes (hypnobirthing starting next week), and pediatricians (we have one but will consult with them if we move). My achy legs and hips are normal and she thinks that so far I'm in pretty good shape to stay at the birth center so long as my blood pressure stays where it is or goes lower.

Robin, 29 weeks and 1 day

I decided to do a complete splurge and go for the extra ultrasounds. I debated it for a really really long time and because my pregnancy had been going so well (thank goodness) I didn't get to have any of the extras that we had when we were expecting Arthur.

I think it was a good decision but in hindsight, I'd skip the video and just get the CD next time. We got some great images and my Mom and our niece Christine came with us, which was nice.

Easter 2007

Easter was extra special because Arthur got to see his 2nd cousins Emma, Andrew, and Julianne. (Christopher was in the hospital with his asthma so we didn't get to see him) Great-grammy took a tumble and needed some stitches in her head but she is fine now. Arthur made sure that everyone remembered Great-Grammy and for a few days after kept saying "Grammy.....ow" while holding his head.

Arthur got to dye eggs for the very first time, which was very exciting for him. He got to visit with family and eat plenty of chocolate and jelly beans...oh boy!

28 Weeks Pregnant with Robin

3 Hour Appointment, Switch to Birth Center

My first official appointment at the birth center went very well. I was pretty excited. The midwife I saw (there are 7) was very young and very giggley. Almost everything I said made her laugh. She was pretty nice and I could tell she was new.

My mom and son were with me, which was a good thing because they decided to do the glucose test and some bloodwork right then so I needed to walk to the lab, drink the glucose drink, then wait an hour to get my blood drawn. Then back to the birth center for my Rhogam shot.

My mom also got to hear the baby's heartbeat for the first time, which was nice for her because she's never heard it before. I don't think she ever even got to hear mine (not sure if they did that 30 years ago)

Anyway, I'm pretty pleased with the change. I've also enrolled the three of us (Joanne & my mom too) in a hypnobirthing class. I think it's going to be a really good thing for me and am feeling really glad that we were able to find one we could all attend.

Yay for being able to take steps in the direction of having the birth I really want!

Birth Center it is...

I'm completely exhausted today from getting up at the crack of dawn to report for jury duty and then book it back home to make the 2 hr drive to visit my mom and have us all attend the birth center information session. Then back home again and off to work tomorrow! Very sleepy!
The short of it is, the birth center is exactly what I want. Nothing routine, all natural, do-what's-best-for-mom-and-baby style. No routine IV's, in fact, no IV's at all....eat and drink what you want, deliver any way you want....it's like dream come true. Which makes me kind of sad, because should it really be the case that someone is relieved to find a birthing place that treats childbirth as something natural?

I just can't go there!

First, let me start by saying that I really do love my ob/gyn. She's helped us so much in this journey and I feel that she stands out amongst her peers in being supportive about our wishes for a natural birth. It was she who suggested I look into Hypnobirthing (which I have and am totally going to get on board with).

That being said, there are 4 doctors in her practice. Which means that there is only a 25% chance that she will be the one to deliver my baby. I also know that one of the other doctors has said out loud "I just don't get women who don't want the epidural." And the other two, I'm just not sure I've been around enough to know how they truly feel.

Coupled with the stat sheet I received a few days ago with astronomically high rates of medical interventions performed on normal childbirth in their affiliated hospital, I'm just in a bind.

Some of you may question the logic in someone like me, who needed medical help to conceive being so adament on childbirth as a natural, normal, to be minimally interferred with process. Does it make sense? I'm sure there is a perfectly valid way to explain it...but I can't put to words what's in my heart.

I could not have conceived without help...therefore I had no option but medical intervention to help me conceive. However, most childbirths can happen without this kind of intervention and almost all need fair less routine medical help than they are actually provided with. That's pretty much the foundation of how I can rectify this oxymoron of a philosophy.

A 32% c-section rate!? A 94% IV rate? A 70% epidural rate? My son (born in 2005) was one of only 6% of natural births at this hospital? I just can't get my mind around how it can possibly be the case that 1/3 of all women are so malformed that they need a c-section or that 94% of women are so dehydrated that they must have an IV. When does the "preventative" line cross the "invasive" line?

Before panic sets in...I do know that there are other options for me. I wanted a homebirth and know full well that in low-risk pregnancies (which mine has been and should continue to be) it is just as safe for mother and baby, if not a little safer due to the decreased risk of contracting an infection. That being said, insurance won't foot the bill and Joanne isn't really 100% comfortable with the idea (which I've mentioned before in my posts).

A birth center was the compromise we came up with and I think now, in earnest, I need to face reality that I'm likely not going to have the best birth for my baby at my local hospital where he can be brought into the world on his own accord and direction.

I've made the appointment to tour one of the two in my state. (This one is in the next town over from where my parents live so it is convenient). I'll be sad at having to tell my doctor I'm switching...but I really think this is going to be the best option for me and my baby.

I've been a bad bad blogger...

I can't believe how much time I let pass before I posted. It seriously has only felt like it's been a couple of weeks!
I've been feeling really well in terms of the pregnancy. I haven't gained that much weight yet but I did manage to gain the bulk of my total (7 out of 11lbs) in the past month. I guess that happens sometimes when you don't gain a lot in the beginning. Despite the modest gain, I feel like a stuffed pig most of the time and that I'm swelling all over.

Well meaning people have been chipper to report that "I'm not gaining in the belly, I'm gaining all over." Of course I smile but part of me just wants to cry! Where's my nice fat baby belly???

Our little guy has been very active (despite the anterior placenta which I was told would make me feel less movement). This is definitely a mover. He twists and turns and it's now at the point when I've seen the movement in my belly just by looking a couple of times. We may be in for an active child!

Dancing in Puddles at Disney World

So Much for the Chinese Gender Charts! Ha Ha Ha

As seen above, it's another little boy in there! He wasn't very cooperative in terms of getting a good face or profile shot. Most of the ultrasound he spent lying on his tummy. He did roll to his back after I used the restroom...it was just enough to get her the last picture she needed (a frontal face picture) and to take a peek at his bottom.

Of course, we're just has thrilled with another boy but I was surprised. I thought it was a girl...which just goes to show that I should have trusted my original instincts (from before this pregnancy) from the beginning (that we would have two boys).

The placenta is completely at the front of my uterus, which means that the "flutters" and "popcorn" that everyone else is experiencing, just feels more like pressure or pushing to me. Sometimes poking, but when that happens I'm not entirely convinced that it is the baby.

Now on to a name! Any suggestions would be most welcome! :)

Big Ultrasound Tomorrow

Tomorrow is our "big" ultrasound. We get to take a peek at our baby looking like an actual baby and not just a piece of rice! They'll check to make sure everything looks o.k. and for us, focus on the umbilical cord. (Our son had a two-vessel cord and a velementous insertion so we'd really like to see a nice normal cord this time).

Yes, we will also find out the gender. It's just something we want to do. It honestly doesn't matter either way but personally, I just like knowing. I can't really explain it any other way. Just like people like having ultrasounds..they do serve a health-related purpose, but really, most of us just like seeing our babies.

So, we should know tomorrow whether those Chinese Gender Predictors were correct!

Baby or Gas?

From everything I've read, most women first feel their babies between 16 and 20 weeks. I've also read that it's usually the "very thin" women or women who've been pregnant before who feel it closer to the 16 week range.So I'm not sure if what I felt was the baby or just gas....because I'm neither "very thin" or one who has been pregnant before.

I was up fairly late last night. It's been a little tough sleeping partly because I have to use the bathroom so much and partly because my anxiety about the robbers ebbs and flows with the last couple of days being particularly annoying. I thought I would be over it by now, but apparently not...anyway...I crawled into bed at the 1:30-2:00AM range and was set to go to sleep but then I felt something. At first, I figured it was probably gas....even though it didn't really feel like gas. It was more like a "tic" or something...or like an involuntary twinge. I concentrated on it for a while and felt it a couple of times but still, I'm not really sure.

So at 17 weeks and 2 days, not being thin, and this being my first pregnancy, I'm not sure if this is just wishful thinking that it was the baby I'm feeling. I have an appointment with the doctor tomorrow so I'll probably mention it then. In any case, even if it wasn't the baby, I'm sure it won't be too long before I know for sure.

Chinese Gender Predictor Charts

I was playing around with these "gender predictors" tonight and 7 out of 8 that I've tried say "girl". The calendar was correct when my son was born but really only time will tell. If (apparently she) isn't shy on the 25th, we'll find out then.

I honestly do think it's more likely to be a girl this time. Of course, there's a thread of doubt, but I call her "she" more often than not. I knew right away that my son would be a boy but I didn't carry him. And Joanne thought he would be a girl.

I do have a standard appointment on the 17th but it's in the office with the "Junior" ultrasound machine. Maybe they'll take a bonus peek then. I haven't had an ultrasound since the 7 week mark.

Time for New Clothes.

This morning I stepped on the scale and while I'm down two pounds from this weekend (the mass eating frenzy), it looks like I gained a net total of about 5-6 pounds. You would think it was 20 pounds by the way my clothes are fitting.

My pants are also tight in the belly. My two favorite pants will only likely make it another week or so...and even then I'm pushing it. I have two pairs of pants one size up so I've moved into those. My chest is also so big that my regular button down shirts for work are mostly out of the question. I pulled out some of Joanne's maternity clothes and there are some sweaters that will work.

Last night I put on one of the new pants with a sweater and I looked so....pregnant. Already. I can't believe it. I don't think I'll be able to keep it from work much longer. This job is relatively new and my only saving grace is that I have a bit more time.

Don't get me wrong, I'm excited about the baby and finally being able to feel the bump. It seems to get bigger by the day. But not many girls love stepping on the scale and seeing it creep up...pregnant or not. And while some women would pay to have breasts like these (as my mom says all the time), I still would rather they didn't get so big so fast.

I will be actually relieved when I tell them at work because I won't have to try and hide it anymore and I can wear my bump freely. :)

Arthur's Big News

Arthur is going to be a big brother in June. We're all very excited. He's been very interested in babies lately in general which has been a plus. He has his own baby (that he calls "bee") and we'll be working on teaching him about being a big brother.

The pregnancy has been going very well. I've had some morning sickness but even on it's worst days, it's never unbearable. I'm just starting now to notice a difference in my tummy, although it's minute. I'm not a skinny thing so I didn't really expect to get any sorts of bulges just yet.

We're just relaxing and enjoying the experience. We'll keep you posted.

18 Month Appointment

Arthur had his 18 month appointment today and everything is going really well. His growth is back on the charts, especially his weight..and that's a great thing. He had some meetings with an endocrinologist in Boston about his height but all tests came back normal. The verdict..."he's just short".

But we know that all along and he's just perfect the way he is. :)

As of this appointment

Height: 30 inches
Weight: 23 pounds

He says a lot of words now but really his favorite thing is to make animal sounds when asked. He knows who his Mums are and will say so when asked. He likes to talk on the phone...with a very German sounding "Allo" when he answers. His motor skills are great, he can open ziploc backs and put pen caps back on the pen.

He's having a tough time with stairs though. Because he's so short, his legs just won't make the reach. He's great at climbing though.

Ummm...He has 16 teeth....

Every day we see something new that moves our little boy out of the "baby" stage and into the "little boy" stage. But it's exciting and we can't help but just watch him in amazement.

Happy Halloween!

Arthur had his first lollipop today and I can't say that he didn't enjoy it. He doesn't get candy so it was a real "wow" moment for him. My favorite picture of the night "drunk on candy"....

It's Early, but We Found a Halloween Costume

Three days off.

We both have three days off from work so I have a couple of moments to add some new photos finally.

If Looks Could Kill......

Frankenstein Video

Frankenstein Video <-- click here

Fourth of July

A Comparison....

It was a rainy Sunday today and we both had the day off so we decided to head up to Boston to the Children's Museum again. We took a photo next to "Arthur" like we did the first time we brought him (when he was 9 months old).

(I just noticed when posting these that he still wears that yellow outfit from five months ago. He wore it on vacation in PA one day!)

New Swingset!

First of all, Thank You Nicole for the awesome swingset!

Joanne and I had been looking in the paper for this exact toddler swing/slide combo. We saw it in the store new for way more money than we wanted to spend for something he could only use for a year or two. So we had been looking for a used one. I even put an ad on craigslist with a photo to see if anyone was getting rid of one.

So today, Joanne was responding to an ad and was heading to look at a couple of sets. She mentioned it to a woman she works with who said that she had the exact one and had been wanting to get rid of it. So she just gave it to us!

We're very excited to have found something Arthur-sized that he can play with outside, and as you can tell by the pictures, he really likes it too!

Vacation in Pennsylvania 3

Our last stop on vacation was Hershey, PA where we visited Hershey Chocolate World and Hershey Park. At nearly 28", Arthur measured as a "miniature" on the ride scale. Although we're not big on junk food for babies, we knew that we couldn't make his visit official without letting him try his very first chocolate. He didn't really know what to make of it at first but once he realized it was edible, it was quickly eaten.

There were a few rides he was able to go one but we switched off for most of them. Hershey Park has a baby swap where one adult can ride while the other waits and then when the first adult gets back, the 2nd adult can ride next. It makes it so everyone can wait in line together.

We all enjoyed the trip. The park is immense...much larger than the Six Flags we have in New England and a lot cleaner. We left for home on Friday around noon but not after visiting Chocolate World one more time to ride the tour ride and buy souveniers for the ride home!

Vacation in Pennsylvania 2

Before we went to Sesame Place, we spent the day in Philadelphia. We drove from our hotel into town (about a half hour). On the way we discovered "Wawa". It's a convenience store with do-it-yourself-milkshakes that were to die for. We had these shakes two days in a row (before dinner, yay!)

In Philly we went to the "Please Touch" museum for children and then on to the more historical aspects of town. We saw Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell (which is a lot smaller than I thought it would be).

Overall it was a very fun day and we were proud of ourselves for finding parking on the street on our own!

Vacation in Pennsylvania

We took a drive down to PA last week and we had a really great time. It was 5 hours down (7 with the stops) and 7 hours back (10 with the stops and traffic). Arthur did really really well. We made sure to give him car breaks every couple of hours.

Our first stop was Sesame Place for two days. Here he is splashing away in the park during a warmer part of the day. (While it only rained a couple of short spurts during our whole week, it was kind of chilly the first day and a half at Sesame).

He looks like he's having an amazing time but he was done with the sprinkler after about two runs through it! :)

13 Months Old

Here's our little floppy sleeper. This has been his new thing with his bum in the air and his feet crossed. It's very cute.

Happy 1st Birthday Little Boy!

1 Year Photos a Little Early

We took Arthur to have his 1 year photo's done today, wrapping up our membership in the photo club with the Picture People. He still has another 12 days before the actual big day but we wanted to have the photos done before Orthodox Easter this weekend so we can bring them up to our family. Between Easter and his birthday party next weekend, we just weren't sure when else we were going to be able to do them.

We're very happy with how they came out and we got a lot of great deals with our coupons and $10.00 off card! Three sheets for $8! Woo hoo!

Since they were right next to each other, we also did a quick shoot at Sears because we had a coupon there too that expires in a couple of days. Because they did such a nice job, we decided that since Sears is more modestly priced, we'll stick with them next time. Although, now that DS is turning one, he's not going to be having those professional photos every three months anymore. We take enough at home anyway! Thank goodness for digital cameras!

A Test Slideshow

Click Here!

Happy Easter!

11 Month Old "Supermodel"

In terms of being superficial, we're about as far away from it as they come! But when a modeling agent says "We want to represent your baby!", who can say no?

We'll see where this takes us. If it becomes "icky" or "snotty" at any point, we'll likely hit the road. But in talking with other moms who have had modeling babies, we're hearing that it's actually a lot of fun and very low pressure. Hopefully, it will be!

We'll keep you posted but in the meantime, keep your eyes open. (I'm hoping for an L.L. Bean catelog shoot!)

"Mama" and Blueberries

I finally got a "mama' out of Arthur today. After listening to a couple of months of "cat" and "ball", it's nice to know that we matter too.

Of course, he was in an unhappy moment and he wanted me to pick him up. With both arms extended and a teary face it popped out, followed by another a few minutes after.

I tried to get him to say it again all day but he's having none of it. I was sad that Joanne wasn't home to see it but I'm sure it won't be too much longer before he's using it regularly.

Arthur also took a break from cramming homeade blueberry pancakes into his mouth to flash this grin!

Our Little Reader

Yay! Picture posting is working again. Here's a little picture that Joanne took today. I can't get over how much he looks like a little boy instead of a teeny weeny baby!

A Little Bonkerz

Joanne recently won a pass to Bonkerz so we decided to go for the afternoon. Bonkerz is a kids play place a little like Chuck-E-Cheese but will much less video games. They also have a toddler area for kids two and under which Arthur really enjoyed. It was a nice day and we all had a good time.

I don't know if I mentioned that Arthur learned how to crawl up the stairs the other day. We have our front room set up as his main play room. It's gated and has his toys and some furniture. One one side are the stairs leading up to the living room but he hasn't really noticed them...until now.

I had stepped into use the bathroom which is right next to his play room/front room (and I always leave the door open when it's just us in the house). He was playing and I could hear him and it was fine. When I went back out into the front room, I couldn't see him. I heard him over by the stairs and figured he managed to squeeze himself next to them by the part of the wall that I couldn't see. When I got there, he was on the 5th stair!

I always protect the top of the stairs so that he doesn't fall down but we both didn't think he'd be climbing UP them any time soon. They are carpeted, but we're just not ready to have him crawling up whenever he pleases. So we're off to find a baby gate tomorrow that will fit into the awkward space that is the bottom of our stairs.

Blogger isn't letting me post pictures right now so here are some links you can click on:

Coming out of the Tunnel
I'm Stuck
I love Trains
With Jessica, Erin, and Melanie

Moving Along

Arthur is now known as "Mr. Speedy". He's everywhere and into everything! He has his own special room (the front room) to play in and he has a great time crawling around and walking along the furniture (and the cats when they are available).

He's still an eating machine although you'd never know it by the scale. Four months and STILL no weight gain (He's maintaining a "still on the charts" 17 lbs 11 ozs). Pediatrician says he's active and healthy and eating very well. He's probably just due for a growth spurt any day! At least we're getting a lot of wear out of his 6-9 month clothes that he's still swimming in!

We did have a couple of weeks of family illness. Colds, fevers, and the overall ickys. Arthur's on his first ever round of antibiotics for a mild ear infection and the past few days he's been sleeping much better. We're all doing a lot better.

On a special note...WELCOME TO THE WORLD SAWYER MICHAEL! We were all so excited to hear of your arrival! We're sure your mommy, daddy, and big brother Caleb are all very happy you're here!

We'll try to post again soon!

10 Months Old Now!

9 Months Old Today